Plank WODs are important for building core stability, strength and work your full body.
Here’s how to get the most out of the challenging exercise included in all the following workouts.
Core strength is the basis for all coordinated and powerful athletic movements. A strong core can reduce stress on the joints and allow you to achieve better posture, as well as significantly improving all round performance.
The plank exercise can also be used as the basis for an excellent core muscle strength and stability test.
The plank is more of a strength-building exercise than a cardio exercise, but by engaging a range of muscles it can also help to boost your calorie burn.
How to do the Plank
- Begin in the plank position, face down with your forearms and toes on the floor
- Your elbows are directly under your shoulders and your forearms are facing forward
- Your head is relaxed and you should be looking at the floor
- Engage your abdominal muscles, drawing your navel toward your spine
- Keep your torso straight and rigid and your body in a straight line from your ears to your toes with no sagging or bending
- This is the neutral spine position. Ensure your shoulders are down, not creeping up toward your ears
- Your heels should be over the balls of your feet
Plank WODs
Add these into your training.
Plank WODs 1 – Tara
For Time
- Buy-In: 26 Burpees
Then 6 Rounds of:
- 19 Kettlebell Swings (53/35 lb)
- 20 Push-Ups
- 19 Goblet Squats (53/35 lb)
Buy-Out: 3 minutes and 49 seconds Forearm Plank Hold*
*Perform a penalty for each break or rest from Plank:
– 1st Break: 3 Burpees
– 2nd Break: 4 Burpees
– 3rd Break and more: 9 Burpees
With a running clock, as fast as possible perform the prescribed work in the order written.
Athlete must complete the buy-in of 26 Burpees before moving on to 6 rounds of Kettlebell Swings, Push-Ups and Goblet Squats.
To complete the workout, accumulate 3 minutes and 49 seconds in a Forearm Plank hold.
For each break from the plank, athlete must perform the prescribed number of Burpees before resuming the Plank Hold. Only time spent in the proper Plank position counts toward the cumulative time.
For example, if athlete completes 1:45 of Plank Hold in the first attempt, then rests, the athlete must perform 3 Burpees before resuming the plank hold. If athlete breaks again at 3:15, he/she must then perform 4 Burpees before resuming Plank.
Continue in this manner until 3:49 is accumulated in the Plank position.
Score is the time on the clock when the Plank Hold is completed.
Plank WODs 2
1,000 rep bodyweight workout
4 rounds, 25 reps each
- push ups
- squats
- tricep dips
- v-ups
- lunges, left leg
- plank shoulder taps
- lunges, right leg
- bicycle crunches
- mountain climbers
- glute bridges
Plank WODs 3 – Home Core by Margaux Alvarez
3 Rounds for Time
- 15 Dumbbell Sit-Ups (50/35 lb)
- 20 Dumbbell Russian Twists (50/35 lb)
- 10 Right Side Plank with Hip Raises
- 10 Left Side Plank with Hip Raises
- 10 V-Ups
With a running clock, as fast as possible perform the prescribed work in the order written for 3 rounds.
Score is the time on the clock when the last round of V-Ups is completed.
Scaling
Bodyweight
3 Rounds for Time
- 15 Sit-Ups
- 20 Russian Twists
- 10 Right Side Plank with Hip Raises
- 10 Left Side Plank with Hip Raises
- 10 V-Ups
Scaled
3 Rounds for Time
- 15 Sit-Ups
- 20 Russian Twists
- 10 Right Side Plank with Hip Raises
- 10 Left Side Plank with Hip Raises
- 10 V Crunches
Plank WODs 4 – Chest Day
AMRAP in 9 minutes
- 10/7 calorie Assault AirBike
- 10 High to Low Plank Holds
- 10 Push-Ups
On a 9-minute clock, complete as many rounds and repetitions as possible (AMRAP) of the prescribed work in the order written.
Score is the total number of rounds and repetitions completed before the 9-minute clock stops.
Movement Standards
High to Low Plank Holds: From the Full Plank Hold position, move into an Elbow Plank Hold, then back to the starting position. This counts as one rep.
Image Sources
- Plank-WODs: Stevie D Photography